Who is Cat Noir?
by Luiz4200
Summary: My first Miraculous fanfic. Takes place after Heroes' Day. Can Cat Noir keep his secret identity a secret even after somebody finds a clue to it?
1. The News Report

**Disclaimer: I don't own Miraculous Ladybug or any character from the series.**

 **Who is Cat Noir?**

 **Chapter 1: The News Report**

In order to increase ratings, TV reporter Nadja Chamack announced she had big news on Cat Noir. Cat's secret identity, Adrien Agreste, didn't know what to think about it. On one hand, he was afraid Nadja would reveal something about him that should stay secret. On the other hand, he was happy his father Gabriel Agreste wanted to watch it with him. If only Adrien knew his father's real interest.

"Good evening, people!" Nadja announced. "Tonight I promised to deliver news on Cat Noir and I won't let you down! Do you remember the one time he didn't show up to help Ladybug?"

"Style Queen." Gabriel said while fondly remembering what he used to consider his greatest creation as Hawk Moth before he figured out how to akumatize several people at once.

"For those who don't, it was when Style Queen disrupted a fashion show and turned several people into statues." Nadja reminded the viewers who forgot. "No official explanation was given but a latter comment by Ladybug implies that he couldn't show up because he lost his Miraculous. Is it the truth or is it some lie she made up to cover up the fact he's one of those turned into statues by Style Queen before having a chance to transform?"

"What?" Marinette Dupain-Cheng asked in outrage as she watched the news with her parents. "I, I mean, Ladybug wouldn't lie!"

"After how Hawk Moth, knowing Queen Bee's real identity, went after her parents, who can blame Ladybug for it?" Marinette's father asked.

"Point taken, Dad." Marinette pretended to accept the reasoning because she couldn't tell her parents how she knew the 'truth' without admitting she's Ladybug. Her kwami Tikki knew the real truth but wouldn't say anything because Nadja got it right about it being a lie to cover up Cat Noir's secret identity.

"At this point, most of you must be assuming 'He certainly cannot be Adrien Agreste since, famous model or not, he's just a student at Collège Françoise Dupont and too young to be a crime fighter and the two of them were seen together'." Nadja commented and then showed a file photo of the Gorizilla incident. "As we can see, the 'Adrien' seen with Cat Noir was wearing a helmet so we cannot tell if it's really him or not. About the other point, his fellow Françoise Dupont student Alya Césaire brought up through her Ladyblog that Ladybug could also be a student there."

"Maybe Ladybug _did_ apologize in front of Adrien Agreste after all." Lila's mother commented while watching the news.

"Like we can trust the media." Lila replied in disdain. "And even if Adrien is Cat Noir, Ladybug couldn't expect me to have known it back then."

"We mustn't forget that Scarlet Gorizilla would later abduct Adrien Agreste, who escaped before the floor below them suddenly crumbled but there was no sign of Cat Noir." Nadja commented. "Could it be that our feline superhero can use Cataclysm without being transformed?"

"I've seen enough." Gabriel commented and stood up.

"Father, you're not thinking I am Cat Noir." Adrien pleaded. "Are you?"

"Adrien, if I really believed that possibility, I'd have ordered you to hand over every ring you had so you'd stop playing hero." Gabriel sincerely responded. He didn't believe his son was Cat Noir but believed Nadja might be right about Cat Noir being one of Style Queen's other victims. "Now, if you excuse me, I have something to do." He said and then left for a secret passage Adrien didn't know about.

 **End chapter.**

 **Author's Note: Sorry if the characters sound odd. I'm a Brazilian who rarely watches an episode's English Dub.**

 **Author's Note 2: I wrote this chapter before Season 3. Any similarities between events described here and events that take place in Season 3 are mere coincidence.**


	2. Repercussions

**Chapter 2: Repercussions**

Hawkmoth was disappointed. His akumas searched the whole town and didn't find anyone to akumatize. At least he had Volpina. "Volpina, I want you to break into the police station and check the records on all people turned into statues by Style Queen." He ordered her.

"What about Adrien Agreste, Hawkmoth?" Volpina asked.

"Forget about him!" He commanded. "Helmet or not, I'm sure that boy seen with Cat Noir is him."

"Whatever." She shrugged and did as Hawkmoth ordered her. In the next morning, Adrien Agreste tried to go to school but the entrance to Agreste Mansion was blocked by reporters.

"Adrien Agreste, are you really Cat Noir?" A reporter asked.

"Does that mean your classmate Alya Césaire was right about Ladybug also being a student at Collège Françoise Dupont?" Another reporter asked.

Gabriel Agreste's assistant Nathalie Sancoeur showed up. "Excuse me, members of the media." She politely asked. "Adrien Agreste mustn't be late for school. I'm sure all of you understand."

They did understand after taking a look at Adrien's bodyguard. _'No wonder they call him 'The Gorilla'.' A reporter thought._

That reporter wasn't the only person making wonderings. Lila's mother was wondering which school in Paris remained open after all those akuma attacks. _'I'd better call the Mayor.'_

When Adrien finally arrived at school, he found himself being stared at by his classmates. "What?"

"Adrikins, don't worry." Chloé Bourgeois reassured her loved one. "Your Queen Bee will protect you until it's clear Hawkmoth won't be falling for that ridiculous story."

"It won't take long." Alya teasingly replied. "Just have Adrien show up with Cat Noir _without_ that helmet and voilà, problem solved."

"Nice plan, Césaire." Chloé sarcastically stated. "It could have worked in the past but it won't help matters nowadays."

"Why not, Chloé?" Adrien asked.

"Two words, Adrikins." Chloé answered. "Rena Rouge."

"What?" Alya was outraged. "Why would I… I mean, she, be a problem?"

"Now that Hawkmoth knows Ladybug has an ally with the power to create illusions, he'll likely suspect Adrikins and Cat Noir together will be just some illusion to trick him." Chloé haughtily explained.

Alya didn't know what to say since Chloé had a point. Adrien, on the other hand, was relieved that he could reject the idea without admitting he's really Cat Noir. "Don't worry, Adrien." Nino reassured his friend. "I can check all your modeling sessions ever since the akuma attacks started. Surely you must have at least one of those as your alibi."

"Oh, sure. Thanks." Adrien uneasily said.

Chloé cell phone pinged and she read the news. "Oh, no! It's horrible!"

"What?" Alya maliciously asked. "Was your favorite perfume discontinued?"

"No!" The Mayor's daughter was too upset at the news to feel insulted. "Someone is claiming to have identified the impersonator."

"What?" The other students shouted and then looked at her cell phone. "It's just a fan who likes to dress like my Adrikins but the media sensationalists don't care about that." Chloé commented.

Adrien, on the other hand, was worried since he recognized his friend Wayhem. He knew using an identity impersonator wouldn't protect his secret forever but he expected to have more time.

"This Wayhem character refused to comment on the notion that Adrikins is Cat Noir and it was him under that helmet to protect the secret but showing a devoted fan who dresses like Adrikins still makes the idea less ridiculous." Chloé commented.

Ms. Bustier then showed up and told Chloé to turn off her cell phone so class could start. After an almost whole day of lessons where the rumors about Adrien Agreste being Cat Noir made it hard for the students to concentrate, they were interrupted by the sudden appearance of Lila and her mother.

"Hi, Lila." Marinette maliciously asked. "How were things with Prince Ali? Or was it another of your lies?"

"Lila, what is she talking about?" Her mother asked.

"Lila said she was visiting Prince Ali during Heroes' Day, Mrs. Rossi." Ms. Bustier explained.

"And Lila told me the school was closed because of akuma attacks." Lila's mother replied and then approached Adrien. "Are you really my daughter's boyfriend or is it another lie?"

"What?" Adrien was shocked. "Mrs. Rossi, I don't know what your daughter told you about me but we never became a couple."

"And now I understand why, Adrien." Lila commented. "As a superhero, you have to avoid having romantic interests so your enemies won't use any of them against you. It's already bad enough that you have to worry about your father."

"Lila, I'm not Cat Noir." Adrien lied but was really worried about his father.

"Denying until the end, I see." She commented with disdain. "Either way, tell Ladybug that you being Cat Noir doesn't change anything because she couldn't have expected me to have known that back when she pretended to apologize."

"Why don't you accept the apology as real?" Marinette asked.

"Because either it wasn't made in front of Adrien Agreste or she couldn't have expected me to have known back then it was." Lila answered.

"Lila, I've already told you there's a chance Ladybug doesn't know this aspect of our culture." Lila's mother admonished her.

"Class dismissed." Ms. Bustier announced. "Is there anyone willing to lend her the material she missed so she can copy it?"

"I'll do it." Max volunteered.

Later on, when the students were about to leave for home, they were interrupted by 'Ladybug' showing up. "Cat Noir, your secret identity was discovered!" She said. "Give me back your Miraculous so I can give it to another hero."

"Imposter!" Marinette shouted.

"Marinette, how can you be so sure?" Alya asked.

"In second thought, she may be the real deal." Marinette quickly said and then remembered a detail. "Except that I don't think she'd choose a student to be a Miraculous holder." She lied as a cover up.

Alya and Nino glanced at each other.

"Hey!" Chloé protested. "She chose me."

"That doesn't count." Marinette argued. "She merely lost a Miraculous and you found it. She doesn't even let you keep it."

Meanwhile, Volpina was hidden at the roof waiting to see if Adrien would fall for her new trick.

 **End chapter.**


	3. Master Fu

**Chapter 3: Master Fu**

Unwilling to believe Ladybug would ask it of him (or that Master Fu would tell her who he was), Adrien tried to think of a way to unmask the imposter without admitting he's Cat Noir. "You never believed a guy like me would make a good Cat Noir, did you?" He asked.

"A rich and spoiled brat like you?" She asked in disdain. "Of course I never believed. I knew it from the very first day it was a bad idea."

"Imposter!" Adrien shouted. "The real Ladybug either would know I'm not Cat Noir or, assuming she doesn't know his real identity, would realize I was trying to figure out if you're real or not."

The Imposter Ladybug vanished in a way that reminded Adrien and Marinette of Volpina's illusions. "Adrikins, as the only one here who knows Cat Noir personally, I can tell you're too smart to be him." Chloe commented. "Ladybug does the thinking for the duo."

"Thanks, Chloe." Adrien hesitantly replied.

If not for the need to protect her secret identity, Marinette would have protested.

After saying goodbye to his classmates, Adrien went back home. A frustrated Volpina had her musings interrupted by a furious Hawkmoth. "Volpina, what were you thinking?" He asked. "I told you not to waste time with Adrien Agreste!"

"I hoped Ladybug would show up." Volpina commented. "She hates liars, especially those who lie about her."

"Either that or she has a crush on the Agreste boy." Hawkmoth replied. "Anyway, I have another thing to do. Goodbye."

Worried about Adrien, Marinette decided to talk to Master Fu for advice but he wasn't home. "Tikki, where could he be?" She asked her kwami.

"Perhaps he decided to look for Cat Noir, Marinette." Tikki suggested. Accepting the suggestion, Marinette decided to go back home.

Upon arriving at his own home, Adrien was unusually greeted by his father. "Son, your substitute Chinese tutor is here." Gabriel said. "He said you're in need of extra lessons."

Adrien and Master Fu entered the former's room. "Are you the real deal or some other illusion?" Adrien asked.

"He's the real deal, Adrien." Plagg answered upon coming out of Adrien's coat pocket. "I can tell."

"Then what's the real reason for you being here, Master Fu?" Adrien asked.

"I am concerned about how a reporter found out you are Cat Noir, Adrien." Master Fu answered.

"You're not suggesting I give up my Miraculous, are you?" Adrien asked in worry.

"Not yet, Adrien." Master Fu reassured the Cat Miraculous holder. "However, if it becomes clear that Hawkmoth believes you are Cat Noir, I'll change my mind."

"Okay." Adrien replied.

"Now, for appearances' sake, let's start with your Chinese lessons, Adrien." Master Fu said.

One hour later, Master Fu was about to leave. "How's my son's progress, Monsieur…" Gabriel asked.

"Wang Fu, Mr. Agreste, and your son is progressing." Master Fu said. He was being truthful about both Cat Noir _and_ superheroing.

"I'm glad to hear." Gabriel commented with what seemed to be an attempt to smile. After Master Fu left, Gabriel went to his lair. "Nooroo, I've been thinking."

"About giving up again, Master?" Nooroo hopefully asked.

Having once considered giving up before Queen Bee made her first appearance, Gabriel didn't feel offended by the question. "No, Nooroo, I was thinking that even if the notion of my son being Cat Noir is ridiculous, I still can bank on the possibility that the real Cat Noir, not knowing how I feel about the theory, will go out of his way to protect Adrien."

"Master, you're not going to put your son in danger again, will you?" Nooroo asked in worry.

"No, Nooroo." Gabriel answered with a frown. "I'll just use him as a bait for the real Cat Noir."

"Are we using Volpina again, Master?" Nooroo asked.

"Yes, but it's time to add a new akuma." Gabriel answered. "Nooroo, transform!"

A few minutes later, Mayor Bourgeois was making changes to his hotel's staff. "I'm tired of your lousy work as a janitor! You! Are! Fired!"

"Serves you right!" Chloe added.

"Perfect." Hawkmoth commented once his akuma showed the scene.

 **End chapter.**

 **Author's Note: As I wrote this chapter, a thought occurred to me: could Nooroo and Plagg feel each other after all that time at Agreste Mansion?**


	4. Another One Learns

**Chapter 4: Another One Learns**

"Bye bye, butterfly." Ladybug said after purifying the Janitor's akuma. She and Cat Noir were about to do their usual victory celebration when they were interrupted by Volpina.

"Give me your Miraculouses or they die!" Volpina demanded while showing illusions of Gabriel Agreste and Tom Dupain.

"It's another illusion, isn't it, Kitty?" Because of Cat Noir's excuse to know the Adrien Agreste illusion from their first run-in with Volpina wasn't the real deal, Ladybug thought his cat instincts could tell.

"Probably but I'm not sure." Cat Noir answered.

Before Ladybug could make sense of it, Rena Rouge and Carapace showed up and dispelled the illusions. "Like someone could abduct Gabriel Agreste without it becoming instantly mentioned on the web." Rena commented in disdain. Ladybug and Cat Noir took advantage of that discussion to flee before their five minutes wore off. Having her plan ruined and not being much of a fighter without her illusions, Volpina decided to flee as well.

Some minutes later, Marinette was discussing things with Tikki. "I don't get it." Marinette told her kwami. "Cat Noir could tell the Adrien illusion was an illusion but couldn't tell with Adrien's Dad and mine."

"Maybe Nadja Chamack got it right." Tikki suggested.

Marinette laughed at the idea. "Thanks, Tikki. That joke made me feel better." They then went to Master Fu's clinic, where they (mostly Marinette) were surprised to see Adrien. Marinette couldn't resist the temptation to eavesdrop.

"That was a close call, Master Fu." Adrien commented. "Perhaps we should let Ladybug know I _am_ Cat Noir."

Marinette's jaw dropped at hearing that.

"I'm afraid she's learning it right now." Master Fu replied and then looked at the entrance. "Isn't it, Marinette?"

"What're you talking about?" Marinette asked. "I'm not… here. Alright, I am here. Adrien, are you really Cat Noir?" She asked in shock.

"Yes." Adrien answered. "And you are My Lady."

"How come you didn't sound surprised?" Marinette asked.

"Honestly, I started suspecting ever since the Evillustrator incident back when you didn't show up as Ladybug until after you as Marinette left, My Lady." Adrien explained.

"Then Alya's story about Ladybug having to be a student at Collège Françoise Dupont must have ended all doubts." Marinette commented.

"Actually, it was your response to my Valentines' Day letter, My Lady." Adrien explained.

"What're you talking…" Marinette started asking until it clicked in. "Was that letter for 'Ladybug' and not for 'Marinette'?"

"Wasn't it obvious, My Lady?" Adrien asked in surprise. "I even alluded to the fact you have a secret identity."

"Tikki thought it was some metaphor." Marinette explained.

"Hahahahahahahahaha. Typical Tikki." Plagg laughed. "Always looking for romance in everything."

"Be nice, Plagg." Tikky admonished her fellow kwami.

"Wait a minute." Adrien asked. "If I am Cat Noir and Marinette is Ladybug, are Rena Rouge and Carapace Alya and Nino?"

"You got that right, Kitty." Alya answered as she revealed herself at the entrance. Nino was with her.

 **End chapter.**


	5. Discussions

**Chapter 5: Discussions**

"Alya? Nino?" Marinette asked. "How long have you been here?"

"Long enough to figure out you are Ladybug, Adrien _really_ is Cat Noir, and neither of you knew about the other until today, Marinette." Alya answered with a smile.

"Cool!" Nino exclaimed. "We can have a superhero double date! Just keep Chloe out of it. She's the worst fifth wheel a superhero could have."

"My vote for that category goes for Volpina." Adrien argued.

"So, how can you keep it hidden from your Dad, Adrien?" Nino asked. "I thought he kept you under a tight schedule."

"He cares to set a schedule but rarely has the time to enforce it." Adrien commented. "I don't know how to feel about it."

"So, whose idea it was to give Chloe the Bee Miraculous?" Alya asked.

"No one's." Marinette explained. "I planned to give it to you but I lost it."

"So, are we going to tell Chloe or what?" Nino asked.

"NO WAY!" Marinette and Alya quickly answered.

"The problem is: how to protect Cat Noir's secret identity?" Alya asked. "As Chloe said, Hawk Moth knows about my illusion powers."

"I hate saying it but perhaps Adrien should relinquish his powers for a while, at least." Master Fu suggested.

"But who will help my lady with the akumas?" Adrien asked. "Will Nino and Alya keep their Miraculouses for good?"

Marinette then had an idea. "Actually, I'm thinking about having Nino replace you as Cat Noir until everyone is convinced you're not him, Adrien."

"Can a Miraculous user really use another one, my Lady?" Adrien asked.

"I planned to give Alya the Bee Miraculous when I lost it, kitty." Marinette explained.

"If at least there's a way Hawk moth could see Nino Noir and me together and rule out the possibility of it being a Rena Rouge illusion." Adrien sadly commented.

"Actually, kitty, I think there might be a way." Marinette maliciously replied.

 **End chapter.**


	6. The Return of Princess Fragrance

**Chapter 6: The Return of Princess Fragrance**

Adrien Agreste was in the middle of another job as a model in the park when Volpina interrupted him. "Transform, Cat Noir." She demanded.

"I'm not Cat Noir." Adrien pleaded and showed his hands. "I'm not even wearing a ring."

"You must be hiding it somewhere but I had enough of your lies." Volpina accused.

"You? Calling _me_ a liar?" Adrien was amazed at her hypocrisy.

Meanwhile, Chloe was running away in fear because Princess Fragrance and a brainwashed Sabrina were chasing her. "You have no place to hide, Antibug." Princess Fragrance declared.

"I'm not Antibug anymore!" Chloe declared in despair.

"As you said, once a villain, always a villain." Sabrina replied.

"I didn't mean it that way and I wasn't a villain." Chloe declared. "Ladybug hurt me but I eventually forgave her."

Princess Fragrance was then tripped by a yo-yo. "Ladybug?" Princess Fragrance, Sabrina and Chloe asked together.

"It was about time." Chloe arrogantly said. "Now give me the Bee Miraculous so I can help you."

"I already have enough help, thank you very much." Ladybug replied as she showed Rena Rouge and Cat Noir. The three of them started attacking but Princess Fragrance tried to spray her perfume at Cat Noir. Rena Rouge got in the way and was brainwashed instead.

' _All according to plan.' Ladybug thought._ "Lucky Charm!"

Meanwhile, Volpina was still chasing Adrien when Hawk Moth interrupted her. "Stop wasting your time with that reporter's crazy theory, Volpina." Hawk Moth demanded. "At this very moment Princess Fragrance needs your help with Ladybug and _Cat Noir_."

"It must be some illusion created by Rena…" Volpina tried to argue but Hawk Moth interrupted her.

"Rena Rouge cannot be behind any illusions helping the heroes because she's under Princess Fragrance's control at this very moment!" Hawk Moth counter-argued. "Now go!"

"Yes, Hawk Moth." She begrudgingly obeyed and left Adrien alone.

By the time she arrived, Ladybug's healing wave was already restoring everyone to normal. "Pound it!" Ladybug and Cat Noir said and then fist bumped each other.

"Cat Noir, Hawk Moth might have been right all along about you not being Adrien Agreste but your loved Ladybug will pay for what she did to me." Volpina declared.

"Volpina, if that was because my apology wasn't done in front of Adrien Agreste, I didn't know about that aspect of your culture back then." Ladybug explained after she left, detransformed, fed Tikki a cookie, and transformed again. "Take me to him and I'll apologize in front of him but leave us alone afterwards."

Volpina obviously wasn't expecting that. "Okay."

"NO!" Hawk Moth replied. "It must be a trick."

"It's worth the risk." Volpina shrugged.

"I'll deakumatize you!" Hawk Moth threatened.

"Okay then." She dismissed him.

One apology later, a happy Lila was offered a ride from Agreste Manor to her home. "So, is Volpina no more?" Adrien asked.

"I hope so, Adrien." Ladybug replied. "Goodbye." She added and then she, Cat Noir and Rena Rouge left.

One day later, Adrien returned to Master Fu's to meet the others. "Nino, you did a good impression of Cat Noir." Adrien commented. "Your 'pound it' was good for a first timer."

"Thanks, but I'm surprised my Cat Noir look was so identical to yours." Nino commented.

"It was deliberate on my part, Nino." Plagg said. "I could give you an original look but that would've defeated the purpose of having another Cat Noir this time around."

"Okay, Plagg." Nino replied and then readied himself to remove the Ring Miraculous. "Now I'm hanging you back to Adrien. I like you but I don't want to smell like camembert cheese."

"You don't know what you're missing." Were Plagg's last words before he was sucked back into the ring. Adrien then put it on and the cheese-loving kwami returned. "Adrien, is there any camembert back home?" He asked.

"Yes, Plagg." Normally, Adrien would be annoyed at his kwami's obsession with cheese but this time he was so glad to have him back he didn't mind.

"Then let's get back home." Plagg demanded.

"Not so fast, Plagg." Adrien replied and then handed Marinette a piece of paper. "That's the date and place of my next modelling session. Will you be there?"

"I… I…" Marinette was too tongue-tied to properly reply.

"She _will_ be there, Adrien." Alya reassured him. "Don't worry."

"Okay, Alya." Adrien replied. "Goodbye, My Lady."

"What?" Marinette recovered herself. It seemed she felt more comfortable around her loved one when he spoke as Cat Noir instead of Adrien.

 **THE END**

 **Author's Note: While I really started writing this fic before I watched any Season 3 episodes, I ended up incorporating elements from one episode in this chapter.**


End file.
